Walking the White Line
by gregorybryce9
Summary: "Just give up, you've clearly lost," he whispered into her ears as he held her firmly in his grasp from behind, a smirk on his lips as she struggled but failed to escape his strong grip. Not that she was trying to hard. "Never, not until you admit that you're wrong," she replied, her cheeks aflame. "Fine then, bring it on, Lil' Red," he grinned and she blushed. And the chase was on
1. Orange Trailer

**Hey. Yeah yeah, I know... another story. But I really just can't help the fact that I have so many story ideas just popping up in my head so i just had to write this one out before it drove me completely bonkers. So yeah... here it is, my first Naruto and RWBY crossover.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

He stared at the ceiling, wide and blank, before his eyes drifted down to the desk he sat behind, its pristine surface reflecting his annoyed visage. He was alone in the room, the officers having had fled as soon as they handcuffed him to the table. He leaned back on the steel chair, tilting it backwards in some effort to find comfort. About fifteen minutes had elapsed since his impromptu arrest, and he was getting bored just sitting here in the empty room. The sound of approaching footsteps caused him to look forward. Soon enough, the door was opened and one person entered. The teen smiled at the familiar face.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in. If it ain't my ol' buddy Dave," said the boy at the desk. The newcomer, now identified as Dave, scowled at the greeting. Pulling just short of the furniture, he tossed a file atop it. 'Dave' was a portly man who stood just short of 5'6". Dressed in a white dress shirt with a black tie, dark suspenders with black slacks, the man looked like a off-duty detective. His hair had grayed at the sides and stress lines were settling just beneath his eyes. He had sharp brown eyes that were hardened like steel set in a small glare. The man walked with a slight limp, favoring his right leg.

"You know it's a bad sign when I see your face in the precinct more than my own men," he growled lowly. He had yet to take a seat across form the man, choosing to stand instead.

In response, the male in cuffs could only shrug nonchalantly. "You wouldn't have to see my face so often if your men would only get off my back for more than a week ya' know," he answered back before he smiled smugly, "Plus, most persons would kill to see this handsome face,"

"And I see you still have that damn wit," Dave grumbled.

The man only smiled, easing the tension that was slowly building. Finally, Dave took a seat opposite the man, sliding into the steel furniture with a sigh. He loosened the neck of his tie and suddenly looked a decade older than he truly was. His lines were more pronounced and a dark shadow passed beneath his eyes. "Look kiddo, personally speaking I like you, 'kay. And I would like to believe you're a good kid," he spoke before he was interrupted.

"I sense a 'but' coming... "

"But this has been happening far too much for it to be a coincidence. This is the third time in a month now that you've been arrested," the man explained. He leaned forward in the chair, so much so that the arrested man leaned back to gain his private space. "Now why don't you be a good little boy and tell me why is it my men found the need to arrest you this time?"

The man rose a brow. "Oh~ and here I thought you were the all-knowing wizard of Oz-" the boy stopped and chuckled at what Dave could only perceive as an inside joke. "I'm pretty sure Officer Moron and his partner Officer Duffus would have already told you why I'm here," he jeered with a small smile tugging at his lips.

" _Detectives_ Burns and Heyman have already informed me for the reasons for your arrest," he informed the teen in cuffs. "But I also want to hear your side of the story of this own debacle,"

The man chuckled. "I'm not sure what side of the story you're looking for Cap'n but I was just minding my own business. Y'see, the thing is, a friend of mine told me about this new ice-cream store she had been to and I just _had_ to try their neopolitan flavor because I heard it was just divine-" yet again he laughed at what the captain could only chalk up as an inside joke he'd never understand. "Then out of the blue, some guy dressed to the tee comes flying out the window of a Dust shop. And if that wasn't enough, some hot chick pops out behind him with a badass scythe thing-y and starts to kick ass and take names," At this point, the man was waving his hands all over the place, mimicking what Dave assumed was the young huntress-in-training actions.

"Uh-huh,' he deadpanned.

"She was all like _'Woosh!'_ and they were all like _'Aah, don't hurt me!'_. And then-" The man's regaling tale stopped for a moment as his eyes narrowed dangerously. He leaned forward and in a deathly calm tone, he whispered, "Are you mocking me?"

The captain merely raised a brow. "Well I'd never," he said with an expression far too innocent on his hardened face. It had all but confirmed the teen's accusation.

"Hmmph! See if I do you any favors again," he grumbled under his breath, but loud enough for his companion to hear. His personality immediately flipped 180 as he suddenly perked up with a megawatt smile on his face. "But like I was saying, it was such an epic fight. That girl had to be a huntress or something with the moves she had. Wonder if she's single or anything because I'd totally be up to going out on a date or two with her. I mean who wouldn't?! She was a total badass plus that red cloak really suited her. Hey, do you think she's single?" he commented, earning a sigh of exasperation from the officer of the law.

"While I'd love to hear more about your taste in women, you still haven't answered why it was that both detectives on the scene saw the need to bring you in again," the man said, this time his eyes as steely as a vault. He was getting sick of the man's antics. Sure, he was a lively kid but there were times when Dave thought he only acted the way he did just to annoy him.

"I would if someone would stop interrupting so rudely," he huffed. "Anyways~ while Lil' Ms. Kickass was busy beating everyone up, _you-know-who_ shows up as well. Turns out, he was robbing the store that the girl was in and she decided to stop him. Now, normally, this would be the part where I make a break for it ya' know. Because whenever he's involved, I somehow always get arrested. But the fact was that it looked like the girl would need my help. So I decided to step in and -"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" the captain interrupted again, earning a small glare from the teen. "Do you expect me to believe that? That somehow _you_ ," he pointed at the boy "intervened in order to fight against Roman Torchwick. _The_ Roman Torchwick?!" he asked incredulously.

"Yep."

" _You?!"_

"Uh-huh,"

. . .

. . .

. . .

"I don't believe you," Dave answered blandly.

The teen looked like someone had struck him across the face with a live fish. He sat back in the chair with a comical look of shock on his face.

"Are you calling me a liar?" he asked the man, a hand reaching towards his chest in mock pain.

"Well... You're aren't going to win any awards for the most upright citizen of Vale either," Dave commented with a nonchalant shrug. "Honestly, you have a record about a mile long and you haven't even reached 16 yet. And if that doesn't say much, how about the fact that you've dropped out of school only a year ago. Do you know how reckless and irresponsible that is?"

"And your point being?" the teen asked, not at all ashamed about his less than stellar track record.

"My point is that I see you so much that I might as well reserve an interrogation room just for you," the man spoke, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. He finally opened the file he had placed on the table, placing it in such a way that even the boy in cuffs could read its contents. He drew a single sheet from the file and flipped it over to show a younger version of the teen. He was about an inch shorter than he was now and was in the process of being mirandized. "Your first arrest was only two years ago. Imagine my surprise when my men practically drag a 12 year-old into my precinct claiming he's an associate for one of Vale's most notorious criminals. You were a snotty little brat back then and I see that you haven't even changed one bit. Since that time, you've been arrested 53 times and yet none of the charges ever stick. It makes you wonder..." he trailed off.

"Ya' know," the boy commented, the happy and sightly sarcastic tone in his voice now gone. Instead, he spoke with a stern and mature timbre. "I'm here sitting and listening as you prattle on and on, yet I see no point for all this rabble. We both know that I'll be a free man again before the day ends so why don't you stop wasting both of our times and just get out with it!" he spat.

A tense silence settled between the two. Whatever semblance of camaraderie and familiarity that existed between the two males withered away with that statement. Now, the younger of the two was staring at the other with an impassive gaze, giving nothing away except the growing irritation in his eyes. In a battle of wills, both locked gaze and refused to look away. This went on for about a minute. Surprisingly, it was Dave that relented first. You would have thought that the veteran police captain would have won out in the staring contest but he had caved. The kid was too stubborn for his own good.

"I've said it before. Personally, I like you. You're a cocky little shit no doubt but you're also the type of cocky little shit I can't help but like. But despite all this, it's clear enough to me that something ain't exactly on the up-on-up when it concerns you. You've denied it many times but with so much arrests under your belt, it's clear to see that you aren't exactly squeaky clean. Not to mention your already tainted connections. And that concerns me. You're heading down a dark path and sooner or later, you're going to reach the point of no return. So when you do reach that point, I hope you really think about what it is that you _really_ want to do. You're still young and have your whole life in front of you, kay'?"

The teen sunk in his seat as he processed the words. When Dave received, he shook his head in disappointment before making his way slowly to the door. Perhaps he had expected to much from the boy. Or he was already to far gone in the darkness that there was no way to pull him out. Without looking over his shoulder he said, "You're free to go by the way."

But he didn't respond, far too lost in his thoughts.

* * *

The sound of clacking heels walking towards him drew him from his thoughts. Turning just slightly, he faced the woman as she approached with a small smile. She had a mug in hand, and from the delightful aroma wafting towards his nose, it was undoubtedly coffee. He accepted it with a nod of the head and turned away from, choosing the observe the boy in the room as he sat quietly and contemplated the parting words of the captain of the precinct. He took a small sip from the coffee before he spoke to his companion.

"Tell me Glynda, what do you think of the young there?" he asked the woman as he pointed in the boy's direction. He watched as a scowl twisted her beautiful face and sighed as he no doubt predicted the harsh words that would escape her lips. Sometimes, his deputy was much too predictable.

"I don't see the interest you have in the boy, Ozpin," she answered bluntly as her emerald eyes narrowed in disdain. "The boy is nothing more than a common criminal despite the fact that he has never been successfully charged. Outside of his connection with one of Vale's most notorious criminal, I see nothing of the sort that would garner our attention. He doesn't even have his aura unlocked," she spoke commented.

"Perhaps that is what he _wants_ us to believe," he suggested, "you must learn to look underneath the underneath, Glynda."

'Underneath the underneath? What are talking about Ozpin?" she asked and huffed when the man didn't deign to give an answer. Again, she allowed her eyes to trail over the boy, considering Ozpin's words. Underneath the underneath he said. Was there something she was missing about the young male. He wasn't of age yet to be considered into Beacon's halls with him being only 15. But then again, it was only a few hours ago that a young Ruby Rose had been permitted to skip two years of combat school. Her eyes widened as the clues clicked together and she spun on Ozpin with a furious glare.

"Surely you aren't thinking about offering an invitation for this boy to attend Beacon, Ozpin?!" she demanded. "I can understand in the case of Ms. Rose as to why you would do such a thing. While a tad bit immature for her age, Ms. Rose has shown that she has the potential to be become a great huntress if nurtured properly!"

"And our young friend does not?" Ozpin prompted quizzically.

"Absolutely not! That... _boy_ ," she spat, "has no place in hunter business and should be punished for the crimes he undoubtedly committed. I will not stand for this Ozpin!" she barked, completely forgetting that the silver-haired man was her superior. She was a woman of strict moral standards and she could not - no, would not stand by and allow the grand legacy of Beacon Academy to be tarnished by inviting a criminal within their halls. Especially since Ozpin had allowed a certain faunus in despite having knowledge of her past. No, this was where she would put her foot down.

Ozpin merely watched her with dull eyes. Not once during their conversation had he stated that he would be inviting the teen into Beacon Academy yet she had immediately jumped to that conclusion. What did she think, that he was going to be throwing out invites all willy-nilly like they were going out of style? Sure he might have overlooked Ms. Belladonna's criminal record and turned a blind eye to Mr. Arc's fake transcripts and bend school rules as to allow Ms. Rose's acceptance, but surely she should have had more trust in him? Or... maybe not.

Glynda's glared deepened as he took a long sip from his mug, closing his eyes in the process. He held the pose for a few seconds, making her wonder if he was thinking over her words or if he was savoring the taste of the drink. When it came to Ozpin, you could never be too quite sure about these things. After another few frustrating moments, he opened his eyes with a satisfying sigh. So, savoring the coffee it was then. He turned towards her with a sly grin.

"Of course not Glynda," he told her as she sighed in relief at his answer. For a while there she was truly worried. "While I have to admit that the thought had indeed crossed my mind, I've decided in the end that I would not put my students at such a risk. Trust me on this that while the boy is not our enemy, he _is_ an unpredictable variable in the grand scheme of things and that alone makes him a threat and a person of interest. Make no mistake Glynda, we will be seeing more of our young friend in the foreseeable future."

Glynda only nodded halfheartedly, not at all believing Ozpin's words about the boy. Not to seem harsh but she just could not for the life of her see how an aura-less and untrained criminal could pose any real threat to a group of highly-trained warriors who fight the creatures of Grimm. In her mind, such a claim was preposterous.

"Of course Ozpin. Whatever you say,"

The man only shook his head, before heading for the door, his job already done here. "Come along Glynda, let's head back to the school. Something tells me that this is going to be an interesting year,"

 _'I can't wait to see what you bring to the table... Naruto Torchwick,'_

* * *

 **There it is, the first chapter and the main character is revealed... kind of. This was just a prologue and a little expository into the whole lay of the land. I hope you like it and don't be afraid to leave any questions you might have. I love to answer reader's questions as best as possible.  
**

 **Review, Favorite and Follow.  
-Gregorybryce9**


	2. On the Horizons

**The second installment of Walking the White Line... Sorry it took so long to update.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I own neither fandoms. I really wished I did though...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The teen watched with apathetic eyes as the yellow cab drove off. After his release, he had immediately left the precinct with haste, choosing not to ponder on the final words of the police captain. This was not the first time that the man had spoken to him about cleaning up his act yet, it had left an impact on his psyche and thoughts like those were ones that Naruto would like to avoid if he could. It was thoughts like those that led him down memory lane which was something he wished to ignore.

Sighing, he dismissed the thoughts as the cab turned the bend and disappeared from his view. It was close to midnight, the time just shy by twenty minutes. The shattered moon peeked out from behind the clouds in the overcast sky. The night's breeze which caused goosebumps to formed on his forearms reminded him that he was not dressed appropriately for the night's chilly weather. His white formal shirt's sleeves were rolled up just past his elbows with the top button left open to reveal a small necklace with a green crystal. He wore dark pants with black loafers. As an accessory, he wore a sliver watch on his left hand.

Despite the fact that it was in the dead of the night, he could make out the muffled sounds of a party going on, no doubt coming from the club that was a few blocks away from his apartment. He could see the lights from a number of the nearby houses - the occupants probably being kept awake by the partying. He ignored it all as he pushed opened the double glass door of the high-rise building that he lived in. The lights in the lobby were on but the apartment's doorman - an middle-aged man named Frankie - was missing. This was probably for the better seeing that he and Frankie didn't really see eye-to-eye. Come to think about it, he was barely on speaking terms with any of the other residents in the building.

But it was their loss in his opinion. He was an absolute delight!

He shuffled into the elevator and rode it all the way to the eighth floor. As the door slid open, his face twisted into a frown as he saw a couple trying to enter the same elevator he was about to disembark. They were new residents to the building if memory served. Honestly, he found them to be rather regular people. About as bland and common as vanilla ice-cream. Nothing really stood out about the couple. They were both dressed for a night out on the town and it was more than likely that they were heading out to that party he had heard on the way up. They were smiling at each other, with the man's arm wrapped around his girlfriend's shoulders.

Immediately upon seeing him, the smile slipped from their faces and they paled. They couldn't have disentangled any quicker in Naruto's opinion and both were shaking in fright. They looked a couple of hormonal teenagers caught in the middle of the act by the girl's parents with the way they were acting. And while this sight would usually had been amusing to the teen, the fact that it was close to midnight and that he had just left a police station was more than enough to spoil his mood. He took a step forward and they took one step back.

He growled. "Move!"

They were gone faster than white on rice. As soon as the words had left his lips, the couple scurried past him. They had foregone the elevator, instead making a dash for the stairs. He watched them as they disappeared down the service stairs before his face twisted in a rueful scowl. This reaction was in no way unfamiliar. The staring and frightening gaze were a common occurrence wherever he went and he had overtime gotten used to the nervous glances sent in his direction.

But just because he was used to it didn't mean he had to like it.

He tsk'ed in irritation as he walked down the carpeted hallway on the way to his apartment. The apparent fear others had for him was well-founded. He wasn't exactly innocent and he was the younger brother of Vale's most notorious thief. His connections to the underworld was vast and many knew that crossing him was a BIG 'no-no'. He had garnered an infamous reputation while at the same time was legally declared as an innocent.

He dismissed those thoughts as his door came into view. Turning his key in the keyhole, he was satisfied with the soft 'click' as the lock became undone. He had only taken a step inside before a familiar weight fell on his shoulders while creamy legs found themselves around his neck. He had gotten so used to this happening that he made no reactions, instead he turned and locked the door to the apartment before continuing on inside. A swift double-tap on his head told him that his new passenger was displeased with him ignoring them. Unable to stop the smile from overcoming his face, he looked upwards and met the the small pouting face of one of his oldest friends. Heterochromatic eyes met his and he chuckled at her pout. Her tri-colored locks fell to her shoulders. With half her hair being brown while the other half was pink with white cheeks, the diminutive girl on his shoulders was a walking representation to her namesake.

"Hey Neo," he greeted.

She huffed in response and turned her nose upwards.

"Aw~ don't be like that Neo. It's not my fault that I came in so late. If anyone's to blame it's the police," he tried to persuade. He bit his lips when he realized that his words where having no effect on the girl riding his shoulders.

His face lit up. "I know! How about I get you ice-cream from the fridge. Will that make it up to you, hmm?"

He knew he had won when she leaped from her perch on his shoulders and pranced like a happy toddler in the direction of the kitchen counter. He merely followed after her, knowing that by the time he had reached the counter, she would be there waiting there with a spoon in hand. He collected the tub of ice-cream from the freezer before carrying it to Neo. She was bouncing on the the ball of her feet when he had returned with the tub of ice-cream, her special spoon just waiting to indulge in the creamy treat. She snatched the treat a nanosecond after he had placed it on the counter and wasted no time in ripping of the cover before attacking the dessert with the intensity of a pack of ravenous beowolves. He settled beside her, seated atop the marble counter-top with his feet dangling as he watched her eat.

He liked this. This weird relationship that he shared with the multi-colored girl. It wasn't romantic in any sense but it did pass the boundary of normal friends. She meant a lot to him and vice versa. She was in league with his brother after the older Torchwick had all but adopted the small girl into their small family a few years ago and she had fit in seamlessly like a jig-saw puzzle. But what Naruto liked most about the girl was that she was a constant. There were too many unreliable things in the world that you couldn't put your faith in but on the flip side of that same coin was the fact that there were many things that you could put your faith in.

In his eyes, Neo was a constant.

Everyday he would return to the apartment and she would leap onto his shoulders. Then, depending on her mood, he would either have to get her ice-cream (despite the fact that she could get it herself) or he would settle in the couch to watch some cartoons. He could always count on her to do these things and knew that a change in their routine would not be coming any time soon. So yes, Neo was a constant in his life and he trusted her with his life if it came down to it.

He was brought from his thoughts by a light tap on the nose from a cold spoon. Looking down, he found Neo on her tippy toes looking up at him with the now empty container thrust forward.

He raised a brow. "What?"

She pouted and thrust the empty container into his chest.

"You want me to get you more?"

She nodded.

He sighed. "Fine, I'll get you some more ice-cream." He jumped off the counter-top and returned soon after with another ice-cream in hand. She squealed in excitement - or at least pantomimed squealing in excitement as she took the dessert from his hand and went back to her eating.

"Y'know, it's times like these that make me think you only visit me because I always have ice-cream in the fridge,"

She stuck her tongue out playfully at his words before delving back into her treat. He sighed at her actions, knowing full well that she enjoyed his company as much as he enjoyed hers. It was something both knew instinctively yet at the same time had never verbally expressed. Perhaps it was a fear that if they said it aloud, then it would slip between their grasps. Lost forever. Irrational? Maybe. But it was the way things were and he wouldn't change it for the world.

As another container was thrust into his chest, he frowned.

 _'Okay maybe there are somethings I would change, like her crazy obsession with ice-cream. This stuff cost a lot. I mean, isn't that some kind of cannibalism?'_

He resigned to his fate as her ice-cream man for the day and was about to open the door to the freezer when his scroll went off. He grabbed the gadget and pursed his lips when he noticed the caller I.D. He glanced at the clock he had hung on the wall over the sink beside the fridge and noticed that it was nearing 12:30 in the _early_ morning.

 _'What would big bro want at a time like this?'_

* * *

Roman Torchwick had a reputation of being as cool as cucumber in Vale's seedy underbelly. The infamous criminal had worked hard to garner such a claim alongside his reputation of being impeccably dressed. The man knew that looks went a long way when you were dealing in illegal businesses and while most went for the thuggish look, he realized the advantages that a sharp suit would give him. After all, in a world of super-powered humans, the hunters and huntresses were on top of the food chain. So if you looked the part of a hunter, then must would assume you were one.

And it helped that he had the skills to back up his words.

So yes, Roman Torchwick had worked hard to build his reputation of being cool under any pressure and that was what had propelled him to the forefront to the Vale's criminal ring. Because when it came down to it, a person with their aura unlocked and properly trained would always come out on top against common thugs. But what would happen if he were to encounter someone with more aura and completely outclassed when it came to a fight.

He would fold, that's what would happen.

It had happened about a month ago when he found himself approached by _her_. She was a vision of beauty. Her glass heels which led to toned legs that seemed to run on forever. Her body was garbed in what was the most sensual dress he had ever seen. Deep red in color, it hugged her curves in all the right places. Golden tribal-like markings ran up the length of her long sleeve and dipped into the valley between her *ahem* assets that made his throat dry. Her silky black hair fell just below her shoulders with a prominent bang covering her left eye that left a mysterious allure. This woman was sex on legs and based on the amused smirk on her face, Roman was sure she knew the effect she had had on him.

When she spoke, Roman wondered why there wasn't a long line a bewitched men trailing behind her. Every word was heavy laced with a tone that left him hot under the collar. It was through sheer will power that he forced himself not to show any reaction to her words but that proved harder to do by the second. Or at least that was until she told him of her plans. She was probably evil incarnate in his honest opinion. Sure, he wasn't the right person to lecture someone on moral ethnics but what she had planned to do was too much, even for him.

He tried to decline. He really did. But on that night, he learned that she did not take no for an answer.

As he had stared into her amber eyes, he watched himself being burnt to a crisp in a wild inferno that sought to consume him whole. He found himself screaming in phantom pain, convulsing as imaginary flames ate him whole. When it was all over, he had lost his composure and could only nod weakly at her demands else he suffered a worse fate.

It was then that Roman knew why there wasn't a line of men trailing her...

Cinder Fall only left ashes in her wake.

Since that incident, Roman did his best not to irritate the woman. His was now in her hands and he knew she would not hesitate to end him if she was displeased. So when the two had returned to one of their many hideouts disguised as a warehouse throughout Vale after an unsuccessful Dust robbery, he was frightened by her scowl. He instinctively took two steps backs as she paced the room in what she had taken up as her personal office in the warehouse. Behind her desk, a girl with mint green hair stood with a concerned look on her face while to his left, a boy with sliver hair was lounged on a couch, looking rather flippant at the tense atmosphere that threatened to choke Roman.

"Roman... " the boss lady spoke, a cold edge in her voice. "Tell me what happened tonight."

Roman knew that she knew what had happened and wondered why she wanted a report when she was there. But if it would deflect her anger from him, then by all means he would oblige her. He began from when he had gone to acquire men from Junior's up to the point where he had to call her in to help fight off the little girl and the huntress that had appeared. After he had recalled his tale about how the red huntress-in-training had beaten Junior's men and had foiled the robbery, he noticed that the scowl had yet to fade from her face.

"Are you sure that's all that happened?" she asked, and Roman felt as though he was missing something important.

"Yeah,"

"Then what of that blond boy who had interrupted the heist?"

Roman's heart stilled. Naruto. She had seen Naruto.

He coughed, trying to play off his hesitation as nothing more than his fear of upsetting her (which wasn't hard to pull off all things considered). "What about him? He's probably some civilian who wanted to play hero. Nothing to really worry about. He didn't even throw a punch. If there's anyone to focus on it's the girl with the scythe, she was the real threat," he said, hoping to bring attention away from Naruto. His hopes were dashed at her next words.

"Make no mistake, I have made plans in order to deal with the silver-eyed girl. She will be dealt with soon enough. But that boy... an ordinary civilian would have fled at the first sign of danger. No, this boy is something more. He charged in head-first. He is an unknown. A variable beyond my control and I do not care for such a thing. Something is amiss about him and I will not allow my plans to be foiled by a mere child," she barked, her eyes glowing with power at her statement.

The silver haired boy decided to speak up. "I could go and take him out for you if he's such a pest. All you have to do is say-"

"NO!"

Roman realized that he had spoken out of turn when all eyes were on him after his outburst. But he couldn't help it. Hearing Mercy, the silver-haired assassin, talking about killing his younger brother was too much for him and he wouldn't just stand by.

"Don't worry about the kid, I'll deal with him. You recruited me to help with getting connected with Vale's underground and dealing with this kid would be easy enough for me to handle. I won't have some upstart from another kingdom deal with things in my territory," he bluffed.

"But what about the Dust heists? Cinder will need you to complete those for her."

Roman paused for a moment before he answered. "Neo is more than enough to handle those on her own. She doesn't exactly need me to help her,"

"Yeah but-" Mercury tried to protest but was cut off when Cinder raised a hand. "Enough. Roman will be the one to deal with the boy. Mercury-" she turned to the silver-haired boy, "-I need you and Emerald to stay low and out of sight for the time being. Am I understood?"

"Sure thing, Cinder."

Roman exhaled in relief while Mercury just shrugged before lounging back in the couch. Roman nodded at Cinder before leaving the room, intent on making a call to his idiotic little brother for putting himself on Cinder's radar

As the door closed behind him, the mint-haired girl stepped forward towards Cinder. "He's hiding something,"

"I know," Cinder replied, unconcerned. "Roman may be weak but he is no fool. His fear of me will make sure that he does what is expected of him. There is no need to concern yourself,"

"And if his fear isn't enough?"

"Then I'll remind of who exactly he works for. Either way, the boy will be dealt with and my plans will go unhindered."

"Of course Cinder,"

* * *

 **There it is, chapter two of Walking the White Line.  
**

 **So, some of the characters are introduced and the plot is slowly being laid out for all to see. I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to any comments or questions you might have in the reviews. Neo and Roman's connection to Naruto was implied in the first chapter and it was expanded on in this chapter.**

 **Next chapter will include Naruto and Ruby's first meeting so stay tuned.**

 **Don't forget to Review, Favorite and Follow  
-Gregorybryce9.**


	3. Boy Meets Girl

**Wow, it's already been three months since my last update... damn. Guys I'm so sorry. I have no excuse why it took so long and I hope you can forgive the tardiness.**

 **Part three of Walking the White Line. Hope you like it. Now, to answer some concerns raised in the last chapter or simply replies to reviews. Let's get those out of the way.  
**

 **Black Gu** **y** **: (Not the first username I would go for but... to each his own) I should explain that this title is not a reference to anything in pop culture. It was an idea I came up with after seeing the lack of stories which revolved around the possibility of a Naruto Torchwick. So, even if there might be similarities between my story and whoever this _'Cash'_ person is that you were referring to, it was simply coincidental. **

**Kurama58** **7** **: I kinda hinted at the reason why Cinder doesn't know who Naruto is in the last chapter but if you didn't get it, let me explain. Naruto may be well-known, but his infamy isn't international. It's only criminals in Vale and the police force that are really aware of him. I've also implied that the reason Cinder hired Roman was for his contacts in Vale, which means that she didn't have any contacts in the kingdom, so she wouldn't know about him... yet.  
**

 **Michael289 : No, he won't be taking such drastic measures to avoid Cinder. He doesn't even know who Cinder is yet.**

 **With that out of the way, ON TO THE STORY!**

* * *

Naruto flipped through the channels without purpose. Despite the fact that the television was on, he had hardly spared a glance at the appliance. His eyes were unfocused and seemed to stare off into space. Beside him, Neo was far too preoccupied to notice the teen's odd behavior. He had foregone the choice of wearing a shirt, instead only sporting black sweatpants and a pair of slippers. Neo was seated beside him on the large couch, ice-cream in hand. She was still wearing her nightwear, a silk white blouse with pink pajama bottoms. She was barefoot as she curled up in the couch, her fluffy pink slippers on the ground in front of the couch. The girl was nearing her last ice-cream tub yet still ravished the dessert with gusto. The picture they presented was almost like two siblings unwinding on the weekend in front of the television, and the truth was not too far off.

Normally, at times like this, both Naruto and Neo would not have been found indoors. Neo was normally out with his older brother, doing gods knows what. Naruto had learned early on not to ask too many questions of his brother's dealings. Oh he knew what he did, he just never asked what he planned to do on any specific day. Naruto in return, would use his brother's absence to go out and have fun. Whether this meant doing so petty thefts to pass the time or simply going out for a stroll was entirely up to his mood and preference.

It was just the way things worked in the Torchwick house.

Yet today, things had changed.

He wasn't sure why Neo was still here outside of the fact that apparently Roman could handle whatever it was he was doing by himself. The girl hadn't obliged much information outside of that and Naruto was sure that even if he pressed the issue, Neo was not one to oblige him. The girl was stubborn like that and got her kicks from frustrating the blond teen.

For himself, the answer was linked to his brother. Roman had called last night. That wasn't entirely out of the blue except for the fact that the orange-haired criminal had left a few days ago on some secret job and had informed his younger brother that he wouldn't be able to call him. Naturally, Naruto's curiosity was piqued but his brother had shut him down rather abruptly.

 _'It's not your concern, don't worry about it,'_

He had been pissed and had stewed over it for a while before deciding a night out on the town would have cheered him up. He hadn't lied to the police chief when he said that he was visiting an ice-cream store when he stumbled upon his brother. For all intents and purposes, he had thought his brother had left the kingdom. If there was some secret job he was doing and didn't want Naruto to find out, surely he would have done it outside of Vale. Naruto's contacts were just as large - perhaps even larger - than his brother's, so if something big was going down in Vale, Naruto would know as well.

Like I was saying, running into his brother and a bunch of Junior's goons had been unexpected. So when he say his brother fighting off the cute red head, he had intervened, jumping to the redhead's side of the fight because 1) she was too cute to ignore and 2) it was payback for not telling him about the job.

Sure, he never usually asked for details on his brother's jobs but secret heists were an obvious exception to this rule.

Naruto had expected for his brother to be pissed off at him for the stunt before they both laughed it off, which was why he had been caught off kilter by ht e near frantic tone of Roman through his scroll.

 _"Dammit Naruto! Just what the hell were you thinking!" Roman hissed._

 _"I have no idea what you're talking about big bro,"_

 _"Cut the crap Naruto! You know damn well what I'm talking about!"_

 _"Come on Roman, don't tell me you're mad about what happened. It was just some harmless fun, nothing to be pissed about," Naruto was sure his brother was being over-dramatic again._

 _"Harmless fun? HARMLESS FUN?! You don't get it, do ya? What you did tonight pissed of my boss. The only reason why you're still alive is because I said I'll deal with it. This is me dealing with it. Listen to me Naruto - and I mean_ really _listen_ _\- lay low for the next few weeks." Roman ranted into the scroll and Naruto felt himself speechless for a few moments from the passion in his brother's voice._

 _"Wha- "_

 _"Don't question me! Not now. Just... just hang out in the apartment or something. I don't care what. Just stay outta sight until I say so."_

 _"You can't - " Naruto tried to speak again but was interrupted again by Roman's shout._

 _"NARUTO!" Roman paused to release and sigh and Naruto could taste the tension. "Naruto... just this once... I'm begging you, just listen to me,"_

Never had he heard his brother so despondent. Roman was a figure of composure and confidence, and to hear him act this why was a huge shock. Naruto had relented under his brother's tone, promising him to keep out of trouble for the next few weeks. So for now, he would stay at home and watch television or do something to occupy the time.

That was the plan.

A small tug on his sleeve drew his attention from the flickering screen onto the diminutive criminal he shared the couch with. He noticed her small pout along with the myriad of empty ice-cream tubs that littered the floor and he immediately put the pieces together.

"Neo... no." he answered firmly.

She clutched onto the sleeve of his shirt.

"I can't Neo, I promised Roman to lay low for the next few weeks,"

The girl's eyes went wide and slowly filled with tears.

"I-I- I... dammit! I'll go okay. But if I get into trouble with Roman, I'm throwing you under the bus!"

The girl beamed. Her tears were gone immediately and she grabbed the remote out of Naruto's hand while the blond left the room. Under his breath, she heard him mumble something that sounded suspiciously like 'Multi-colored ice-cream freak'

Naruto grumbled some more as he pulled the apartment door open and stepped outside.

 _'Not even a few hours and my plan is already shot to hell,'_

* * *

"I'm leaving now, dad!"

Black hair with crimson tips, silver eyes and pale skin, Ruby Rose made a definitive character. Coupled with her bright and optimistic attitude, it made a lot of sense why the girl was cherished by most who met her.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to tag along? It won't be a problem for me," a voice responded to her call. He immediately swam into view as the tall figure of her father made an appearance. He was dressed casually; a simple pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt. He had a light stubble around his chin, the same shade of golden blond as his roguishly rueful head of hair.

The girl sighed. "I'll be fine dad, I'm a big girl now. I can go to into the city by myself now," the girl explained.

"I know that. It doesn't mean that I don't worry about you."

"I know dad, but I'm going to Beacon in two days. You can trust me to take myself,"

Taiyang relented. He knew what she was saying was right. Having been trained by Qrow, Ruby had grown monumentally and could deal with any common criminal that came her way. Plus, with her semblence, she was near untouchable except to the best of the best. Physically, he was assured about her safety. But the girl was socially-awkward and painfully shy when in a large crowd. What he feared was her getting hurt, but rather someone taking advantage of her naïvety

"Fine fine," he raised in hand in mock surrender, leaning off the door-frame as he walked towards her. They were standing on the porch at the front of the their cozy little house on the small island. It was just after 12 noon and the sun was a brilliant globe in the barren sky. He closed the gap between himself and his progeny. "But you have to give your father a kiss first,"

The girl blushed fiercely. Why, oh why, did her father have to be so embarrassing? She could feel the heat in her cheeks and knew that with her pale skin, it would be impossible to hide. Thank for small mercies that her sister and uncle weren't present, who knows how mercilessly they would have teased her if they had been here.

She placed a chaste kiss on his cheeks before withdrawing suddenly, flushing under the bark of laughter from her father. "There, now was that so hard to do," he laughed. Ruby said nothing, her eyes on her father's watch.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late!" She squeaked before dashing off, a swirl of petals in her wake. Taiyang watched it all with a small frown. _'Damn, I'd hoped that chatting her up would have made her missed the ferry. Oh well... '_

Ruby was a red blur as she dashed forward. If you'd blink you would have missed her, the only evidence of her presence being the rose petals she left behind. The reason for her rush was because she had a ferry to distance from the Rose's/Xiao-Long's/Branwen's (it's a crazy household) residence to the ferry was a good 30 minutes if you'd walk, but at the pace the red missile was moving, she would reach there in 5 minutes.

In the end, it had taken a little over 4 minutes for the girl to arrive. And she was right on time as the ferry was just about to leave. Bolting towards the large vessel, Ruby made her way onto the ferry, using her small frame to slip in between the mass of bodies that were boarding as well. The residents of Patch that were familiar with the small speedster could only shake their head fondly as the girl zipped by them.

The ride from Patch to Vale had taken about half an hour and Ruby was elated when they had arrived. She didn't do well in crowds and she felt intimidated by the vast amount of persons on the ferry as they had made their way across the ocean that separated Vale form Patch.

Vale looked just as magnificent as ever was Ruby's thought as she disembarked the sea vessel. She was moving in a more sedate fashion, ducking her head slightly as not to draw attention. It hadn't really helped much to be honest. As a huntress-in-training, she would always stick out as a sore thumb among the civilians. It was due in part to their bright colors hunters and huntresses were prone to wearing. Her brilliant red and black contrast greatly with the blander shades of green and beige those around her wore. But a major part to her stand out presence was her weapon. While in its compact form, Crescent Rose was still made for a large carriage, the sniper-scythe hybrid drawing its fair share of wary glances.

Ruby disentangled herself from the throngs of people making their way off the ship. With her impromptu acceptance to Beacon Academy, Ruby had only two days to prepare herself for the next four years to come. So that had spurred her decision to come to Vale to buy new school supplies. She had a clear goal in mind that included a shopping list that needed to be completed before night came. Yang was somewhere in Vale and Ruby was hoping to catch a glimpse of her older half-sister in order to hitch a ride back. It would be a lot better to return with her sister than to go home alone.

The girl raised her head high as she explored the city. She would be a Beacon student in two days time and that was only the first step towards becoming a hero.

 _'Just like mom was,'_

* * *

Naruto would be the first to admit that he wasn't one for stealth. Sure. he could be sneaky when he wanted to (you had to be when you were a criminal) but he didn't possess the ingrained ability to avoid an entire city. Vale was a massive place and Naruto was sure he would be recognized. Roman had given him clear instructions to stay out of sight but he would understand how plans would fail when you were near Neo. The small girl danced to the tune of her own drums and didn't care for your wants and needs unless they were aligned with her own.

This was why he found himself shifted through the masses with a large brown coat with upturned collars. The clothing stopped mid-calf, and underneath it, he was dressed in a black military-style shirt with grey pants. He didn't attempt to hide his face nor change his walk, that could possibly even draw more attention to himself. Instead, he walked slowly and confidently, moving at such ease that most wouldn't spare him a second glance. It wasn't the best strategy to go unnoticed in such a large crowd but it was the best he could come up with.

 _'Damn it Neo, must you be such a pain!'_

He checked the time on his watch, noting that it was just a few minutes after three in the afternoon. It was getting a bit late and he was sure Neo would be angry at him for taking so long but... it served her right.

He took a final turn, spying his destination in the distance. The large pastry store was up ahead, right at the end of the street. It was a common sight for him to be here. Naruto nodded. The faster he got in, the faster he could get out.

The door opened with a familiar jingle and Naruto felt refreshed by the blast of cool air that rushed at him. Within the store, they were less than ten persons within excluding staff, but Naruto only had eyes for one.

 _'Lil' Red, we meet at last'_

As he approached the counter where the girl was, thoughts of an angry Neo was the last thing on his mind.

Ruby felt that she deserved a reward. She had spent nearly three hours wandering the streets of Vale by her lonesome and had finally completely the shopping list for her school supplies. When she was completed, she had sent the new stuff to Beacon before her, not wanting to have to struggle with carrying the purchases home.

So yeah, Ruby Rose deserved a reward for her work today.

So when she saw the _large_ pastry store in the distance, she had zipped right inside. Her flurried entrance had gained her a few laughs from the cashier at the counter which caused her to blush. Uncle Qrow had always said that the girl would get a little crazy when it came on to sweets. Maybe he was right after all.

She had just finished ordering her slice of cake when an arm snaked its way around her shoulders. She tensed first, before spinning on her heels and pushing the person off her. The stranger feel with a thud, and caused for most conversations to fall quiet. A stark difference to the lively dine of sound she had walked into.

"Hahaha," the boy chuckled. His laugh was a low baritone that seemed too mature for his age (she was assuming he was around her age). "Well, I certainly didn't expect that reaction," He stood from his spot on the floor, patting down his coat as he did so. "This is first time a girl has ever rejected me so easily. And a pretty one at that. I'm hurt," he spieled.

Ruby had to fight down the blush on her cheeks. _'He called me pretty,'_ This was the first time a boy her age had done so, and Ruby was surprised it had such a strong effect on her. She turned away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes again. He must have noticed her embarrassment because he gave a bark of laughter in response. It wasn't teasing as her father's was earlier, but rather filled with pure amusement at her actions.

"Tell me Red, don't you remember me? I'd hoped I'd have made a bigger impression the other night," he spoke, for the first time, Ruby really drank him in. Oh drink she did. Her blush intensified.

"W-What are talking about?"

The boy laid a hand over his heart, a dramatic display of agony on his face. "Woe is me! Alas, the fair maiden had forgotten her knight in armor. Had I made such a horrid impression that she felt it better to erase my face from her recollections. I weep in sorrow! Woe is me!"

Ruby waved her hand in frantic denial, a hot blush on her cheeks as most in the store were watching the scene play out in avid curiosity. "No no no! Of course I remember you!" she lied, hoping that he would stop making such a huge scene.

The boy instantly beamed, "Great then, how about lunch? Just you and me!"

"I-I uh... already ordered," she tried to dissuade the odd stranger but he was too lively to shoot down.

"Even better, we can eat here," he slipped behind her and faced the cashier. "I'll have whatever she having okay? And make it on the _family_ discount, would ya?"

Ruby tilted her head her curiously. Family discount? Did that mean he came here so often he was given a discount? As she allowed for Naruto to lead her away, she felt another question pop into mind.

If Naruto was here often, why did the cashier look so scared to see him?

* * *

 **Ruby ad Naruto meet and the roller coaster is about to begin.**

 **You know what to do,**

 **Review, Favorite and Follow,  
-Gregorybryce9**


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